Clothespin container



Sept. 18, 1956 C. C. MEYERS CLOTHESPIN CONTAINER Filed May 13, 1955 INVE/VT'OR. Ceca. CT MEYE/ZS CLOTHES PI N CONTAINER Cecil C. Meyers,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Application May13, 1955, Serial No. 508,258

Claims. (Cl. 150-.-1.8)

' The invention relates to an improved clothespin container for use on aclothesline or for suspension from ones clothing.

The present invention fills a need for a clothespin container which isconvenient in use either suspended from a clothesline or from onesclothing, while providing a weather-proof and dirt-proof container forthe clothespins.

A clothespin container according to the invention comprises a pouch offlexible material having an opening along one edge. Each edge of theopening is fitted with an exteriorly generally rectangular-shaped bail,the one bail forming a hook for hanging the pouch from a clotheslinewhile the other bail is adapted to be-drawn through the bail which formsa hook to close the opening in the pouch. In this way the material ofthe pouch is overlapped at the opening to provide a weather-proof anddirtproof closure. Preferably each of the corners of the material of thepouch at the opening is turned inward against the corresponding side ofthe pouch and is sewn into the adjacent hem. In this way the ends of theopening into the pouch are drawn inward to provide additional protectionagainst the intrusion of water or dirt into the pouch. Also, it ispreferred that the bail which is adapted to be drawn through the otherbail is shaped so that after closing the opening into the pouch it isadapted to pass over at least one corner of the pouch at the sideopposite to the opening thereby locking the pouch closed.

A clothespin container according to the invention can be convenientlyhung on a clothesline by the bail which is hook shaped and for use witha pulley type clothesline a hook can be provided to anchor the containernear one pulley. The container is opened by sliding one bail through theother, and the bails serve to hold the container open and to provide arectangular-shaped opening which is convenient for removing andreturning clothespins to the pouch.

If desired, the container can be made water-proof by drawing the onebail through the other as described above,

and the bag left hanging on the clothesline when not in use. Thecontainer is also adapted to be used by suspending it from the bib of anapron. In this case the bib of the apron can be passed through thehook-shaped bail and the container will hang open in a convenientposition.

The invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothespin container according tothe invention suspended from a pulley type clothesline with the pouchopen;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the clothespin container shown inFigure 1 removed from the clothesline and with the pouch closed; and

Figure 3 is a detailed view of one end of the clothespin container withone side of the container removed.

As shown in the drawings the clothespin container comprises a pouch 10of a flexible material which may be a water-proof or semi-water-prooftype of cloth. The pouch 10 has an opening 11 extending'along one edgeand part 2,763,310 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 2 4 way down each end 12 and13 of the pouch 10. Each side of ,theopening 11 has an open-ended hem 14and 15 sewn into it as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Each of the corners 16of the material at the opening 11 is turned inward against thecorresponding side of the pouch 10 and is sewn into the adjacent hem 14or 15. This results in the ends 12 and 13',o f.the pouch 10 .being drawninward at the opening 11 as shown in detail in Figure 3.

Figure 3 shows one end 12 of the pouch 10 with the near side of thepouch 10 removed. As indicated by the broken line 30 the edges ofmaterial forming the sides of the pouch 10 are sewn togetherfrom thebottom of the pouch 10 up to a point 31 leaving corners 16. Each of .thecorners 16 is drawn inward of the pouch against the corresponding side.of the pouch 10 and the edge 32 of each corner 16 is sewn into theadjacent hem 15 (or 14 in the case of the other side of the pouch).

"In this way the ends 12 and 13 of the pouch 10 are drawn inward of thepouch to make the closure (described below) along the opening 11 of thepouch more effective.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a generally rectangularshaped bail 17 ofwire is fitted into the open ends of the hem 14 by means of the U-shapedends 18 of the bail 17. A generally rectangular-shaped bail 19 of wireis fitted into the ends of the hem 15 by means of its U-shaped endswhich are similar to the U-shaped ends 18 of the bail 17. The free end23 of each of the bails 17 and 19 is turned outward slightly and iscompletely within the hem. Each U-shaped end 18 of the bails is sprunginward of itself to permit insertion into the hem and upon release iturges the ends 23 against the inner surface of the hem. This keeps thepouch 10 firmly in position on the bails but, if desired, the pouch caneasily be removed from the bails by pressing inward on the U-shaped ends18. The bail 19 is doubled over on itself forming a hook for hanging thepouch 10 from a clothesline 20 as shown in Figure 1, and a hook 21 ofwire is pivotally fastened to the bail 19 to anchor the clothespincontainer to a pulley 22 of the clothesline. As shown in Figure 1 thebail 17 is made large enough relative to the area of the opening 11that, with the opening 11 at its maximum area, the bail 17 extendsthrough and past the bail 19 thereby locking the bail 19 over theclothesline 20 to prevent accidental removal of the clothespin containerfrom the clothesline, for example by wind.

The only materials required for the manufacture of the clothespincontainer are stiff wire and the cloth and thread which are required forthe manufacture of the pouch. A bag suitable for holding up toclothespins would require a piece of cloth 14 x 18 inches. Approximately5 feet of wire is required for the manufacture of the bails and thehook. A grade of wire similar to that used in wire type coat hangers issuitable. The bails can be assembled or removed from the pouch at anytime and this is an advantage in permitting shipment of the bails andthe pouches separately.

In use the clothespin container may be suspended from a clothesline, asshown in Figure 1, or it may be suspended on ones person from the bid ofan apron by passing the bib of the apron through the bail 19. In eithercase the rectangular-shaped bail 17 serves to provide a large easilyaccessible rectangular-shaped opening 11 into the pouch 10. Also thehook 21 may be extended in a vertical direction above the container tohook onto the clothesline thereby suspending the bag at a substantialdistance beneath the clothesline. In this case, a clothespin may be usedto prevent the hook 21 from sliding along the bail 19. When the bag isnot in use it may be securely closed in the manner shown in Figure 2 bydrawing the bail 17 through the bail 19 until the material on one sideof the opening 11 overlaps that on the other side and one or both of thelower corners of the pouch 10 may be passed through the bail 17 as shownin Figure 2. In this way the bail 17 serves'to lock the bag closed andto prevent entry of rain or dirt even when the container is hanging on aclothesline in a high wind.

What I claim as my invention is: a

1. A clothespin container comprising a pouch of flexible material havingan opening along one edge, said opening extending part way down each endof the pouch adjacent to said edge, an open-ended hem along each edge ofsaid opening, an exterior generally rectangular shaped bail for eachsaid hem, each bail extending out of one open end of the hem and intothe other open end of the hem, one bail forming a hook for hanging saidpouch from a clothesline, the other bail being adapted to be drawnthrough said one bail to close said opening.

2. A clothespin container as defined in claim 1 in which each corner ofthe material of the pouch at the opening is turned inward against thecorresponding side of the pouch and is sewn into the adjacent hem.

3. A clothespin container as defined in claim 1 in which the bailadapted to be drawn through the other bail after causing the openinginto the pouch to be closed is adapted to pass over at least one cornerof the pouch at the side opposite to said opening.

4. A clothespin container as defined in claim 1 in which each end ofeach bail extends only part way into the corresponding hem is turnedback on itself in a U-shape having a free end, said free end beingwithin the hem and turned outwards.

5. A clothespin container as defined in claim 4 in which the U-shapedend of each bail is sprung inward of itself to permit insertion into thecorresponding hem.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,476,423 Salisbury Dec. 4, 1923 1,567,677 Ricketts Dec. 29, 19251,989,473 Costigan Jan. 29, 1935 2,472,094 Cowles June 7, 1949 FOREIGNPATENTS 234,412 Great Britain May 28, 1925

